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Colby Covington is one of the most talked about fighters in the whole UFC.
But just 4 years ago the UFC told him he was going to be cut. How did he turn it round?
In his own words, “A lot of hard work, a lot of deception, and good promo skills.”
Time for a thread
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten">
But just 4 years ago the UFC told him he was going to be cut. How did he turn it round?
In his own words, “A lot of hard work, a lot of deception, and good promo skills.”
Time for a thread
Let’s take it back to 2017.
Colby Covington is the #6 ranked welterweight in the world. He’s on a 4 fight win streak and is scheduled to fight Demain Maia, who’s last fight was a title shot.
The bad part?
The UFC had told him he was going to be cut.
Colby Covington is the #6 ranked welterweight in the world. He’s on a 4 fight win streak and is scheduled to fight Demain Maia, who’s last fight was a title shot.
The bad part?
The UFC had told him he was going to be cut.
Unfortunately, Colby was on the last fight of his contract.
“They had told my manager Dan Lambert they weren’t going to resign me. They didn’t like my style, they didn’t like that I wasn’t entertaining. They told me no matter what happens, we’re not re-signing you.”
“They had told my manager Dan Lambert they weren’t going to resign me. They didn’t like my style, they didn’t like that I wasn’t entertaining. They told me no matter what happens, we’re not re-signing you.”
Covington knew he had to make a change, and a drastic one at that.
Both from Oregon, Colby had a good relationship with the man he now calls “Uncle Chael”. He saw how he talked himself into big fights, and was able to get some advice.
Both from Oregon, Colby had a good relationship with the man he now calls “Uncle Chael”. He saw how he talked himself into big fights, and was able to get some advice.
“I learned a lot of stuff from him (Chael), he would give me some tips. He said it’s not so much about your fighting skills, its what you can do on the mic and how you can entertain.
You’re going to have to become a character, become an actor.”
You’re going to have to become a character, become an actor.”
It was at this point “Chaos” was born.
The American dominated Maia to a unanimous decision victory, and one of the most iconic post fight interviews in UFC history followed. https://youtu.be/479l-lMFDh4 ">https://youtu.be/479l-lMFD...
The American dominated Maia to a unanimous decision victory, and one of the most iconic post fight interviews in UFC history followed. https://youtu.be/479l-lMFDh4 ">https://youtu.be/479l-lMFD...
The plan had worked.
“I wasn’t supposed to have my job, but that promo goes so viral on the internet, that the UFC’s like, we have to keep him, we have to re-sign him because that promo is so big. So that’s what saved my career.”
“I wasn’t supposed to have my job, but that promo goes so viral on the internet, that the UFC’s like, we have to keep him, we have to re-sign him because that promo is so big. So that’s what saved my career.”
Colby kept the act after this fight, and it worked.
So well in fact that he was able to become UFC welterweight interim champion, and hand delivered the belt to the white house, right to the desk of then president, Donald Trump.
So well in fact that he was able to become UFC welterweight interim champion, and hand delivered the belt to the white house, right to the desk of then president, Donald Trump.
Whether you agree or not with what he says, its hard to deny its effectiveness.
In May 2018 he had 28,000 followers on Instagram.
Now? He has over 677,000 and it’s growing every day.
In May 2018 he had 28,000 followers on Instagram.
Now? He has over 677,000 and it’s growing every day.
He has catapulted himself into one of the biggest names in the sport, and Colby himself summed it up perfectly.
“Whether you hate me or love me, you’re going to tune in to watch me."
“Whether you hate me or love me, you’re going to tune in to watch me."
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